A silver halide photographic light sensitive material is photographically processed through a development step, a bleaching step, a washing step and a stabilization step after being exposed. The photographic processing is ordinarily conducted using an automatic processing machine. On such occasions, a replenisher replenishing system is commonly used wherein activity of the processing solution in a processing tank is kept constant. In the replenisher replenishing system, dilution of components dissolved out from the light-sensitive material, correction of the amount of evaporation and replenishment of consumed components are carried out, resulting in a large amount of waste solution.
Recently, world wide movements for regulations on prohibiting dumping photo-effluent into oceans and regulations against disposal of plastic materials have been promoted. Accordingly, development of a new system in which the photographic waste solution is reduced and bottles for processing agents are eliminated is demanded.
In addition, safety regulations on packaging materials have been made strengthened to maintain safety regarding the transportation of liquid hazardous substances, resulting in an increase of cost. In recently rapidly increasing mini-labs has been introduced a processing system in which prints are easily obtained on account of progress of exposure controlling technique of prints. There are many mini-labs where a part timer or side worker works but controlling of processing solutions or dissolution of replenishing solutions is difficult, and a serious error, for example, dissolution or replenishment of a wrong processing solution is likely to occur. Therefore, this conventional replenishment system has drawn much frequent complaints.
Accordinly, in the photographic industry a solid processing composition has been strongly demanded in which bottles for processing agents are eliminated and dissolving operations are also eliminated. In response to these demands Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 5-119454/1993 discloses a method of solidifying almost all processing components and directly supplying these solids in processing tanks.
However, manufacturing of a solid processing composition has a problem in producibility, production cost or stable productivity.
The forcible granulating using a stirring granulator of production scale (80 kg or more per batch) is likely to produce bulky granules having a diameter of 5 mm or more. The bulky granules are difficult to fluidize and combine with surrounding particles to form more bulky granules. It has been found that such a bulky granules have the following problems. The granules have a dry surface but have a moisture in an inner portion, and therefore, requires a long time for drying. The granules dried for such a long time are heavy granules of high density, resulting in lowering of solubility. Further, tablets obtained by compression molding the granules have insufficient hardness and poor anti-abrasion property.
In response to the above, the bulky granules can be classified or crushed during drying, however, this adds extra processes and requires longer production time, resulting in low yield. Further, the crushing is likely to produce fine powder not suitable for tableting, and to cause a problem regarding properties of a solid processing composition such as fluctuation of particle distribution, or capping or fluctuation of loading amount during tableting.
A method of manufacturing a solid granular processing composition is disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 3-39739/1991, 3-39735/1991 and 2-09042/1990, which uses a fluid bed granulator. This method is advantageous as far as the obtained granules are final products.
However, when granulating a composition comprising a thiosulfate, a sulfite, a bisulfite, an aminopolycarboxylic acid ferric complex, a carbonate, a p-phenylenediamine type developing agent, a hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof, using a fluid bed granulator, it has been proved that fluidizing is difficult to control, powder is likely to adhere to the inner walls or dust collector filter of the granulator, or the obtained granules cause blocking, capping or fluctuation of loading amount causes at tableting and tablets obtained by compression molding the granules cause fluctuation of a loading amount or abrasion or expansion, during long term storage or under high temperature and humidity, and therefore, the granules are not suitable for tableting.